November 4, 2004
Williams files for free agency
by Ray Mileur
Woody Williams filed for free agency Thursday after the team told his agent it will decline his $8 million option and pay him a $900,000 buyout. Of course we were expecting this throughout the season.
Williams went 11-8 with a 4.18 ERA, season and with the injury to staff ace Chris Carpenter and with Matt Morris being less than effective, Williams became the staff ace in the World Series.
The Cardinals won 16 of Williams' last 19 regular-season starts. He won twice in the playoffs but lost Game 1 of the World Series and as we all know so well, he didn't get a second chance.
Williams has also pitched for Toronto and San Diego during a 12-year major league career, going 103-84 with a 4.05 ERA. St. Louis acquired him from the Padres in August 2001 and he went 7-1 down the stretch to help the Cardinals win the NL Central.
He had a 2.53 ERA in 17 starts in 2002, then went 18-9 with a 3.87 ERA in 2003. Last month, he said he wants to pitch at least a few more years and that he ``most definitely'' would like to stay with St. Louis.
I'm expecting him to sign with the Cardinals for the 2005/06 season.
